Controversial sections of legislation amending the Freedom of Information Act were passed during angry exchanges at committee stage last night.
Provisions widening the definition of Government to include a committee of officials appointed to assist Cabinet consideration of particular issues, were passed after extensive and heated debate.
A row erupted over whether the Oireachtas would have access to the identities of members appointed to such committees.
The Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, said the information would be available through an FoI request or through parliamentary questions.
He said that the membership of committees was always revealed and he said the Government would be "foolish" if it didn't release such information.
However, the Opposition claimed that this was a new measure and the Oireachtas should be informed of the membership of such committees, such as by laying it before the Houses of the Oireachtas.
Labour's spokeswoman Ms Joan Burton said if the Government was extending the definition of government to include committees, "it is a cornerstone of democracy that the identity of the Government should be public".
Fine Gael's spokesman Mr Richard Bruton said the Minister was creating a new precedent, this was a new measure and deputies should not have to put in FoI requests to get the identity of committees advising the Government.
Mr Seán Fleming, chairman of the finance committee which discussed the amendments, refused a request from Ms Burton to seek an adjournment of the committee to seek legal advice about the issue and said such advice could be got before report stage next week. Mr McCreevy insisted the protection being sought was for the records of such committees and not the membership.
The committee also passed the provision to delay the release of Cabinet papers from five to 10 years and the exemption of correspondence between Government ministers from public scrutiny.
The Green party spokesman, Mr Dan Boyle said this was the "real meat" of the legislation and pointed out that the release of correspondence such as between the Ministers for Finance and Health had "helped to elucidate, inform and even entertain" and was good for government.
Sinn Fein's spokesman Mr Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said if this Government had not been in place in the previous administration, it would not be in such a rush to pass this legislation. It would have passed it but "not quite yet". Mr Bruton said the Government was seeking to widen the "blanket of secrecy on Government documents" and was going "far beyond" what the high-level group of department secretary generals had sought.
Dr Liam Twomey (Ind, Wexford) backed the "10-year rule" but had concerns about the widening of the restrictions on documents. The Minister said they had to strike a balance between too much secrecy and "going the other way" and these measures were practical.
